Hair clamping device

ABSTRACT

A hair clamping device includes a base defining a compartment. A cover is pivotably connected to the base. An elastic element is mounted between the base and the cover to bias the cover to cover the base without covering an opening in an end of the compartment. An engaging plate is removably engaged in the compartment and has a coupling portion releasably coupled with an engaging portion of the cover. A resilient strap includes two ends coupled to the base and the engaging plate. The engaging plate is insertable via the opening into the compartment such that the strap forms a loop for clamping hair of a user. The elastic element biases the engaging portion of the cover to engage with the coupling portion of the engaging plate for reliably clamping the hair of the user in the loop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hair clamping device and, more particularly, to a hair-clamping device that provides enhanced hair clamping effect and allows convenient operation.

2. Description of the Prior Art

FIG. 9 shows a conventional hair clamping member 1′ including an elastic band 11′ and an engaging member 12′ coupled between two ends of the elastic band 11′ to form a loop. The hair clamping member 1′ can be folded to form a couple of loops to reduce the opening for clamping hair. However, greater force is required to enlarge the opening for receiving hair of a user or removing the band 11′ from the hair of the user, leading to inconvenient operation. Furthermore, the hair is liable to be torn off during removal of the band 11′ due to improper operation.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show another conventional hair clamping member 2′ integrally formed of plastic material. A plurality of teeth 21′ are formed on an end of the hair clamping member 21′. A coupling hole 22′ is formed in the other end of the hair clamping member 21′. The hair clamping member 21′ can be bent, and the end can be inserted through the coupling hole 22′ until one of the teeth 21′ is engaged with the coupling hole 22′. Such a hair clamping member 2′ allows adjustment of clamping tightness as well as easy operation. However, the hair clamping member 2′ risks falling from the hair of the user, for the hair clamping member 2′ is not resilient and the human hair is oily.

Hair clamping can also be achieved by tying, which is however inconvenient in operation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a hair clamping member that provides enhanced hair clamping effect and allows convenient operation.

A hair clamping device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention includes a base having a bottom wall and two parallel, spaced sidewalls on two opposite sides of the bottom wall, defining a compartment between the bottom wall and the two sidewalls. A cover is pivotably connected to the base and covers an upper end of the compartment, leaving an opening in an end of the compartment. The cover includes an engaging portion on an inner face thereof facing the compartment. An elastic element is mounted between the base and the cover to bias the cover to cover the base without covering the opening. An engaging plate includes an insertion portion removably engaged in the compartment. The insertion portion includes a coupling portion releasably coupled with the engaging portion of the cover. A strap made of resilient material includes first and second ends respectively coupled to the base and the engaging plate. The insertion portion of the engaging plate is insertable via the opening into the compartment such that the strap forms a loop allowing clamping hair of a user. The elastic element biases the engaging portion of the cover to engage with the coupling portion of the engaging plate for reliably clamping the hair of the user in the loop.

Preferably, the first end of the strap is fixed to an end of the bottom wall. The sidewalls include two aligned pivot holes. The cover includes two parallel, spaced lugs each having a pin hole aligned with the pivot holes. A pin extends through the pivot holes and the pin holes. The elastic element is a torsion spring including a coil portion mounted around the pin and first and second tangs respectively attached to the bottom wall and the inner face of the cover.

Preferably, the engaging portion of the cover includes a protrusion. The coupling portion of the engaging plate includes a plurality of coupling holes parallel to and spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction of the engaging plate. The protrusion is selectively and removably engaged in one of the coupling holes under the action of the elastic element, allowing adjustment of clamping tightness of the strap.

Preferably, the protrusion includes a first inclined face at an acute angle with the cover. The insertion portion of the engaging plate includes a second inclined face on an end thereof and at an acute angle with the engaging plate. The first inclined face of the protrusion is slideably movable across the second inclined face to move the cover away from the bottom wall when the insertion portion of the engaging plate is inserted into the compartment.

The cover can further include an ornament on an outer face thereof opposite to the inner face.

The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment of this invention described in connection with the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrative embodiment may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded, perspective view of a hair clamping device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the hair clamping device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the hair clamping device of FIG. 1 with an engaging plate being inserted into a base.

FIG. 4 shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the hair clamping device of FIG. 1 with an engaging portion of a cover engaged in one of a plurality of coupling holes of the engaging plate.

FIG. 5 shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the hair clamping device of FIG. 1 with the engaging portion of the cover engaged in another coupling hole of the engaging plate.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating use of the hair clamping device on hair of a user.

FIG. 7 shows a partial, cross-sectional view of the hair clamping device of FIG. 1 with the cover pulled upward to allow removal of the engaging plate.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating removal of the hair clamping device from the hair of the user.

FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a conventional hair clamping member.

FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of another conventional hair clamping member.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating use of the conventional hair clamping member of FIG. 10 on a hair of a user.

All figures are drawn for ease of explanation of the basic teachings of the present invention only; the extensions of the Figures with respect to number, position, relationship, and dimensions of the parts to form the preferred embodiment will be explained or will be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood. Further, the exact dimensions and dimensional proportions to conform to specific force, weight, strength, and similar requirements will likewise be within the skill of the art after the following teachings of the present invention have been read and understood.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A hair clamping device according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-8 of the drawings. According to the preferred form shown, the hair clamping device includes a base 1, a cover 2, an elastic element 3, an engaging plate 4, and a strap 5. The base 1 is made of rigid material and includes a bottom wall 11 and two parallel, spaced sidewalls 12 on two opposite sides of the bottom wall 11, defining a compartment 13 between the bottom wall 11 and the sidewalls 12. The bottom wall 11 includes a strap coupling portion 14 in the most preferred form shown as a slot. The sidewalls 12 include two aligned pivot holes 15.

The cover 2 is mounted on top of the compartment 13, leaving an opening 131 in an end of the compartment 13. The cover 2 includes two parallel, spaced lugs 21 each having a pin hole 25 aligned with the pivot holes 15 of the base 1. A pivotal member 16 in the most preferred form shown as a pin is extended through the pivot holes 15 of the sidewalls 12 and the pin holes 25 of the cover 2 to pivotally connect the cover 3 with the base 1. The cover 2 includes an engaging portion 22 on an inner face thereof facing the compartment 13. In the most preferred form shown, the engaging portion 22 is a protrusion having an inclined face 23 at an acute angle with the cover 2. An ornament 24 is mounted on an outer face of the cover 2 opposite to the inner face.

According to the most preferred form shown, the elastic element 3 is a torsion spring including a coil portion 31 mounted around the pivotal member 16 and first and second tangs 32 and 33 respectively attached to the bottom wall 11 and the inner face of the cover 2. The elastic element 3 biases the cover 2 to cover the base 1 without covering the opening 131.

The engaging plate 4 is made of rigid material and includes an insertion portion 42 having a coupling portion. According to the most preferred form shown, the coupling portion includes a plurality of parallel coupling holes 421, 422, 423 spaced from one another in a longitudinal direction of the engaging plate 4. A strap engaging portion 41 in the most preferred form shown as a slot is provided on an end of the engaging plate 4. An inclined face 43 is formed on the other end of the engaging plate 4 and at an acute angle with the engaging plate 4. The strap 5 is made of resilient material and includes first and second ends respectively coupled to the strap engaging portions 14 and 41.

In use, the strap 5 is wound around hair of a user (FIG. 6), with the engaging plate 4 inserted via the opening 131 of the base 1 into the compartment 13. The inclined face 43 of the engaging plate 4 is moved across the inclined face 23 of the cover 2 such that the cover 2 moves away from the base 1 (FIG. 3). When the coupling hole 421 is moved to a position aligned with the engaging portion 22 of the cover 2, the engaging portion 22 is moved by the resiliency of the elastic element 3 into the coupling hole 421 to reliably clamp the hair of the user in a loop formed by the strap 5. Since the strap 5 is made of resilient material, disengagement of the hair clamping device from the hair of the user is avoided.

It can be appreciated that the clamping tightness of the hair clamping device can be adjusted by engaging the engaging portion 22 of the cover 2 with another coupling hole 422, 423 (see FIG. 5). The ornament 24 on the cover 2 can cover the cover 2 and the base 1 to provide aesthetically pleasing effect.

When removal of the hair clamping device from the hair of the user is required, the user holds the cover 2 or the ornament 24 and moves the cover 2 away from the base 1, disengaging the engaging portion 22 from the coupling holes 421, 422, 423 and allowing removal of the engaging plate 4 from the base 1. The resiliency of the strap 5 assists in rapid removal of the engaging plate 4 from the base 1, providing enhanced operational convenience. Operation of moving the cover 2 away from the base 1 by holding the ornament 24 also assists in operational convenience.

The pivotal connection between the base 1 and the cover 2 can be arranged at the other end of the base 1 opposite to the strap coupling portion 14 and at the other end of the cover 2, with the elastic element 3 mounted around the pin 16 in a corresponding position. The strap 5 can be coupled to the base 1 and the engaging plate 4 by other suitable methods including but not limited to bonding. The ornament 24 can be omitted. Furthermore, the engaging plate 4 can include only one coupling hole.

Thus since the invention disclosed herein may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or general characteristics thereof, some of which forms have been indicated, the embodiments described herein are to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein. 

1. A hair clamping device comprising, in combination: a base including a bottom wall and two parallel, spaced sidewalls on two opposite sides of the bottom wall, defining a compartment between the bottom wall and the two sidewalls; a cover pivotably connected to the base and covering an upper end of the compartment, leaving an opening in an end of the compartment, with the cover including an engaging portion on an inner face thereof facing the compartment; an elastic element mounted between the base and the cover to bias the cover to cover the base without covering the opening; an engaging plate including an insertion portion removably engaged in the compartment, with the insertion portion including a coupling portion releasably coupled with the engaging portion of the cover; and a strap made of resilient material, with the strap including first and second ends respectively coupled to the base and the engaging plate; with the insertion portion of the engaging plate being insertable via the opening into the compartment such that the strap forms a loop allowing clamping hair of a user, with the elastic element biasing the engaging portion of the cover to engage with the coupling portion of the engaging plate for reliably clamping the hair of the user in the loop.
 2. The hair clamping device as claimed in claim 1, with the first end of the strap being fixed to an end of the bottom wall, with the two sidewalls including two aligned pivot holes, with the cover including two parallel, spaced lugs each having a pin hole aligned with the two pivot holes, with a pin extending through the two pivot holes and the pin holes, and with the elastic element being a torsion spring including a coil portion mounted around the pin and first and second tangs respectively attached to the bottom wall and the inner face of the cover.
 3. The hair clamping device as claimed in claim 1, with the engaging portion of the cover including a protrusion, with the coupling portion of the engaging plate including a first coupling hole, with the protrusion being releasably engaged in the first coupling hole, and with the torsion spring basing the cover toward the bottom wall to bias the protrusion into the first coupling hole when the insertion portion of the engaging plate is received in the compartment.
 4. The hair clamping device as claimed in claim 3, with the protrusion including a first inclined face at an acute angle with the cover, with the insertion portion of the engaging plate including a second inclined face on an end thereof and at an acute angle with the engaging plate, and with the first inclined face of the protrusion being slideably movable across the second inclined face to move the cover away from the bottom wall when the insertion portion of the engaging plate is inserted into the compartment.
 5. The hair clamping device as claimed in claim 3, with the coupling portion of the engaging plate further including a plurality of second coupling holes parallel to and spaced from each other in a longitudinal direction of the engaging plate, with the plurality of second coupling holes being parallel to and spaced from the first coupling hole in the longitudinal direction of the engaging plate, and with the protrusion being selectively and removably engaged in one of the first and second coupling holes, allowing adjustment of clamping tightness of the strap.
 6. The hair clamping device as claimed in claim 3, with the cover further including an outer face opposite to the inner face of the cover, with the hair clamping device further comprising, in combination: an ornament mounted on the outer face of the cover. 